ASEAN closing ranks as cyberscam threat escalates
Southeast Asian governments are searching for a joint strategy against cyberscammers, a criminal industry that has grown too big, too connected and too embedded in
Southeast Asian governments are searching for a joint strategy against cyberscammers, a criminal industry that has grown too big, too connected and too embedded in ASEAN economies to be solved just by policing. For years, governments across Southeast Asia largely approached the region's online fraudsters as a matter for the police, anti-trafficking agencies and border authorities. But these bodies have appearently failed to stem the rise of international cyberscam cartels. The illicit industry is increasingly using international banking systems, cryptocurrencies, telecommunications networks, shell companies and trafficking routes, with some of its centers operating under the protection of armed or politically connected groups. Now, ASEAN governments seem increasingly willing to tackle the threat as a united bloc. Myanmar approves death penalty for cyberscam bosses Signs of this shift were visible at the controversial meeting in Bangkok on August 6 between Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and President Min Aung Hlaing, the head of Myanmar's military government. The two governments agreed to clamp down on scam centres along their shared frontier, exchange information and jointly disrupt criminal financial flows. Thailand also offered support for Myanmar's participation in the Egmont Group, an international network of financial-intelligence bodies. Myanmar's military-backed parliament had already voted in favour of applying the death penalty on those caught operating online scam centres. Dream job abroad? It could be a trafficking trap To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video While visiting Cambodia late last month, Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Arif Havas Oegroseno also proposed a joint task force to combat online scam syndicates. And last week, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Thai Prime Minister Charnvirakul held talks in Jakarta where they agreed their two countries must lead the way and strengthen ASEAN's resilience against scam groups. Online scams grew into an 'economic security threat' A UN estimate published last month put the annual losses from cyber scammers — many of whom are located in Southeast Asia — at between $88.3 and $114.1 (between €76 billion and €98 billion) globally in 2025.
Artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, encrypted communications and deepfake technology have made their operations cheaper and harder to detect. Criminals in Southeast Asia increasingly use recruiters, money launderers, and brokers to target victims across the world [FILE: March 2026] Image: Chalinee Thirasupa/REUTERS "Cyber scams in Southeast Asia have evolved beyond a conventional cybercrime issue and should be viewed as an economic security threat," Hai Luong, a lecturer at Australia's Griffith University's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, told DW. Impact of cybercrime felt around the world Governments in Southeast Asia have already had to respond to pressure from the US, the EU and China as their online cartels drew international attention. In October 2025, the US designated Cambodia's Prince Group, one of the country's largest conglomerates, as a transnational criminal organisation and imposed sanctions on 146 people and companies connected to it. US authorities also charged Chinese-born Prince Group chairman Chen Zhi with wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies. Cambodia eventually revoked Chen's citizenship and extradited him to China. Chinese-born Chen Zhi, believed to be one of the top bosses of Cambodia's scam industry, was extradited to China Image: China's Ministry of Public Security/AFP Prince Group's business empire extended across real estate, finance and other sectors in Cambodia. US authorities allege that criminal revenues were mixed with legitimate commercial activities through an international network of companies. Washington has also sanctioned other Southeast Asian individuals and companies accused of investing in scam compounds and laundering money. The EU followed last month, imposing sanctions on Prince Group and Jin Bei Group in Cambodia and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army in Myanmar for alleged involvement in cyberscams. Cambodia moves against US-sanctioned banks In 2024, the United States Institute of Peace estimated that Cambodia's cyber-scam industry generated more than $12.5 billion annually, equivalent to roughly a third of the country's formal economy. The collapse of several scam-linked conglomerates has raised concerns about how the economic shockwaves will affect the rest of the country.
The BriefWire